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CFO Jimmy Patronis: Florida Must End Credit Report Freeze Fee

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Make it Easier for Data Breach Victims to Protect Themselves from Fraud

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced today that he wants Florida to end all fees imposed to freeze credit reports, and remove requirements for data breach victims to submit investigatory paperwork to prove they were victimized in order to waive this fee. The recent major data breaches underscore the importance of eliminating the credit report fee.
“Recent widespread data breaches at major companies have huge implications for our 20 million residents. Every Floridian should have the power to easily protect themselves and their families,” said CFO Jimmy Patronis. “No one should have to jump through hoops to prove their identity was compromised just to get a fee waived.”
This legislative session, CFO Patronis will work with Commissioner Adam Putnam to entirely remove the credit report freeze fee in Florida, under all circumstances.
“I applaud CFO Patronis for his leadership on this consumer protection initiative, which will eliminate the financial burden of placing a security freeze on credit reports. We must continue to do all we can to help protect consumers from fraud,” stated Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
CFO Patronis stated, “There shouldn’t be a fee, in any case, for credit report freezes. These fees serve one purpose: to generate more money for reporting agencies.”
Florida law currently allows credit report agencies to charge a fee of up to $10 to freeze credit reports, and data breach victims are required to submit paperwork to prove their identity is in jeopardy just to avoid paying the fee. Four states (Indiana, South Carolina, Maine, North Carolina) already do not charge fees to freeze credit.

Public invited to Tosohatchee WMA to have fun, explore Florida’s 75-year legacy of conserving wildlife

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On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area will host a day of fun and exploration celebrating Florida’s 75-year history of conserving native species and habitats on its wildlife management areas.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) invites the public to enjoy this free, family-friendly Tosohatchee WMA event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Only 15 minutes from downtown Orlando, Tosohatchee WMA has woodlands and waterways reminiscent of Florida in the 1940s, when the first wildlife management area was created in the state. Osceola wild turkey and white-tailed deer roam here. Purple gallinules and roseate spoonbills pick their way through marshes flowing into the St. Johns River. Bald eagles and swallow-tailed kites can be spotted, as well as flocks of migratory birds such as painted buntings making their winter stopovers.
“Tosohatchee is a spectacular piece of old Florida. We are a great getaway from urban areas,” said FWC wildlife biologist Tom Shupe.
On Saturday, participants at the Tosohatchee event will have opportunities to go on hay rides with biologists, meet FWC law enforcement officers and their K-9 companions, admire and judge the finalists submitted in the year-long WMA photo contest, and learn about the science behind the comeback of the Osceola wild turkey, which lives only in Florida.
“The 75th anniversary of Florida’s wildlife management areas inspired us in 2017 to throw outdoors celebrations all year long, from bioblitzes and bird-watching tours to geocaching and photo contests and volunteer work days,” said Jerrie Lindsey, who leads the FWC’s public access services office. “The Tosohatchee event tops off our quest to get more people out on WMAs enjoying both the wildlife and the recreational opportunities. We invite you to keep coming back to our WMAs year after year.”
“Wildlife management areas throughout the state give people of all ages and backgrounds a chance to experience beautiful areas that Florida is conserving for wildlife,” said David Johnson, head of the FWC’s Wildlife and Habitat Management Section that manages the WMAs. “There are a variety of outdoor activities, ranging from hunting and fishing to wildlife viewing, hiking, biking and primitive camping. There is also the simple pleasure of taking a leisurely drive through a WMA and stopping along the way for a picnic.”
What other fun activities can you expect at the Tosohatchee event?
You can experience muzzleloading and campfire cooking demonstrations, check out the variety of hands-on activities for kids, join Florida Trail Association volunteers on short woodland walks and take tours on how to identify native plants.
More about the WMAs’ 75th anniversary and the experiences that WMAs offer to Floridians and visitors all year-long is at MyFWC.com/WMA75.

Commissioner Adam Putnam Requests Federal Disaster Relief for Florida Agriculture

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Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam today sent a letter to the Florida’s congressional delegation requesting much-needed disaster relief for Florida agriculture, which suffered a more than $2.5 billion hit due to Hurricane Irma. Excerpts from the letter are below:
“As you know Hurricane Irma, among the strongest hurricanes ever to make direct landfall in the United States, dealt a devastating blow to many sectors of Florida’s $120-billion-dollar agriculture industry.
“While members of our Florida delegation – under your leadership – worked tirelessly to include much-needed disaster assistance to help Florida’s agriculture industry in the face of mounting catastrophic losses, we were ultimately left out of the last aid package Congress considered. This omission was despite receiving commitments from leadership in both houses that our state would find relief in that round of funding.
“We all recognize that OMB’s request is only the Administrations’ recommendation and that Congress, considering the advice of the OMB, will now create a relief package that is responsive to and reflective of the damage sustained by the industry. Nonetheless, I am alarmed by the apparent lack of concern shown by OMB towards the needs of agriculture in the aftermath of such a historic storm.
“Congressman Tom Rooney has crafted language that will enable the USDA to provide $1.5 billion in emergency disaster assistance to address the catastrophic crop losses producers suffered due to this storm. I am hopeful that the entire delegation will support its inclusion in the next disaster relief supplemental.
“I look forward to working with you to address this dire situation and stand ready to provide any additional information necessary to support our request.”
To access the letter, click here.

Attorney General Pam Bondi Joins Letter of Support for Mick Mulvaney’s Appointment to CFPB

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Attorney General Pam Bondi today joined five other attorneys general to support President Donald Trump’s appointment of Mick Mulvaney as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In a letter to President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the attorneys general expressed their support for the President to select the acting director, not the outgoing agency head.
“I fully support the President’s decision to appoint Mick Mulvaney as the director of the CFPB,” said Attorney General Bondi. “Executive staff at the CFPB should strive to protect consumers from abusive powers, as the agency’s mission claims, not cause turmoil and instability throughout a federal protection agency.”
Last week, Director Richard Cordray resigned from the CFPB and selected Deputy Leandra English for acting director. However, President Donald Trump appointed Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney as the federal agency’s director. English has since filed a complaint against the President and Mulvaney in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, requesting the Court block Mulvaney’s appointment and grant her temporary authority as acting director of the CFPB until the U.S. Senate confirms a new director.
Attorney General Bondi’s Consumer Protection Division works regularly with the CFPB to protect all consumers from businesses engaging in deceptive and unfair behavior.
In addition to Attorney General Bondi, the letter was signed by attorneys general from Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia and Arkansas.
To view the full letter, click here.  

Gov. Scott to Highlight Record K-12 Education Investments in Securing Florida’s Future Budget

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Tomorrow, November 29th, Governor Rick Scott will visit Englewood Elementary School in Jacksonville to highlight record K-12 education investments in his Securing Florida’s Future budget.
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: 10:30 AM
WHERE: Englewood Elementary School
4359 Spring Park Road
Jacksonville, FL 32207

New Port Richey woman claims top prize playing $5,000,000 MONOPOLY™ FLORIDA EDITION Scratch-Off game

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The Florida Lottery announces that Mary Olbruck, of New Port Richey, claimed a top prize in the $5,000,000 MONOPOLY™ FLORIDA EDITION Scratch-Off game at Florida Lottery Headquarters in Tallahassee. She chose to receive her winnings as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $3,840,000.
Olbruck purchased her winning ticket from Donia Food Mart & Deli, located at 4015 Little Road in New Port Richey. The retailer will receive a $10,000 bonus commission for selling the winning Scratch-Off ticket.
The $20 Scratch-Off game, $5,000,000 MONOPOLY FLORIDA EDITION, launched in July 2016, and features more than $346 million in prizes, including six top prizes of $5,000,000 and 20 prizes of $1 million! The game’s overall odds of winning are one-in-2.97.
Scratch-Offs are an important part of the Lottery’s portfolio of games, generating more than $784 million for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF) in FY 2016-17, and comprising approximately 68 percent of ticket sales.

Governor Scott Highlights Record K-12 Education Investments in Securing Florida’s Future Budget

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Governor Rick Scott today visited Kissimmee Elementary School in Osceola County to highlight record K-12 education investments in his Securing Florida’s Future budget. Since Governor Scott took office, state funding for Florida’s K-12 public schools has increased by $3.2 billion or 36.7 percent, from a total amount of $8.7 billion in Fiscal Year 2011-12 to nearly $12 billion in the 2018-19 Securing Florida’s Future budget.
The Securing Florida’s Future budget includes:

  • More than $21.4 billion in state and local funding for Florida’s K-12 public schools. This historic funding equates to $7,497 per student – an increase of $200 per Florida student – the highest total funding, state funding and per-student funding for K-12 in Florida’s history;
  • $15 million in funding for a brand-new program to expand opportunities for middle and high school students to learn coding and computer science;
  • $10 million, for a total of $74.5 million, in funding for school safety initiatives that promote a safe learning environment;
  • $12 million in funding to establish the English Language Learners Summer Academics program. This program will be focused on reading improvements and making sure students in grades 4 – 8 displaced by Hurricane Maria have access to summer academies; and
  • Nearly $18 million, for a total of more than $63 million, in funding for the Teacher Classroom Supply Assistance Program. This proposal will increase funding by $100 per teacher from $250 to $350 annually.

AHCA Announces Launch of FloridaHealthPriceFinder

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The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) today launched FloridaHealthPriceFinder, a new health care transparency tool for consumers. The new website allows consumers and caregivers to look up the average amounts paid by insurance plans for a specific service, giving them a better estimate of what their total out-of-pocket expenses will be. The average payments are based on billions of lines of claims data from three Florida health plans, and claims data from additional plans will be added in early 2018. Further updates to the website will be available in the upcoming months.

Agency Secretary Justin Senior said, “Florida continues to lead the way in providing health care transparency for our residents. Floridians have already had the ability to use FloridaHealthFinder to access health plan report cards, locate the best facilities for their families, and access educational resources. FloridaHealthPriceFinder takes these resources a step further, and gives consumers a more realistic cost estimate than was previously available. I look forward to continued innovations in health care transparency as we pursue our mission of Better Health Care for All Floridians.”

The website lists the services as “care bundles” in order to factor in all aspects that account for the final price. For example, the care bundle for a knee replacement includes consultation, surgery, physical therapy and a follow-up visit. Since 2007, Floridians have been able to use FloridaHealthFinder.gov to look at undiscounted hospital charges, but this is rarely the amount that individuals or insurance companies are expected to pay. This tool can be used in conjunction with contacting your health insurance company to find out-of-pocket costs.

FloridaHealthFinder and FloridaHealthPriceFinder will operate together to continue to provide Floridians with transparent health care resources. To compare health care facilities in Florida please click here. All of the new resources provider by FloridaHealthPriceFinder can be found by visiting pricing.floridahealthfinder.gov.

Tallahassee ‘Cities for Life’ event to end the death penalty Nov 30

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MEDIA ADVISORY

WHAT: The Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee will mark International Day of ‘Cities for Life’ with a special event against the death penalty.
WHEN: Thursday November 30th 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (EST)
WHERE: Good Shepherd Parish, 4665 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee
WHO: The event is hosted by the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee and co-organized by Equal Justice USA and Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.
Featured speakers will include:

  • Dale Recinella, Death Row Catholic Chaplain (keynote)
  • Christine Henderson, National Organizer with Equal Justice USA
  • Bishop William Wack, as well as an exonoree from Florida’s death row, will be present

Equal Justice USA (EJUSA) is a national organization that works to transform the justice system by ending the death penalty, strengthening programs that help crime survivors rebuild their lives, and promoting trauma-informed responses to violence that save lives and heal communities.

FWC to meet Dec. 5-7 in Gainesville

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will meet Dec. 5-7 at the Best Western Gateway Grand in Gainesville. The address is 4200 NW 97th Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32606.
The meeting starts at 2 p.m. on Tuesday and 8:30 a.m. each day thereafter. It is open to the public with opportunities to speak on agenda items each day.
The FWC is committed to providing ample opportunity for public input at each Commission meeting. As standard practice, the Commission will welcome public input regarding agenda items using the approved speaker registration process and time limits. To accommodate as much input as possible from those attending, the Chairman reserves the right to designate the amount of time given to each speaker, including time donation to other speakers.
The Commission has provided time for public comment on subjects not on the agenda at the end of day two, Dec. 6. Those who wish to offer comments during this period will be asked to make sure their comments are not related to any agenda item. For the full Dec. 5-7 agenda and links to background reports, go to MyFWC.com/Commission and select “Commission Meetings.”
Those who cannot attend can follow coverage at Twitter.com/MyFWC (@MyFWC) and join in the conversation by using the #FWC2017 hashtag. Check the Florida Channel for possible live video coverage at TheFloridaChannel.org.